Willing Exile
by nonamenoproblem
Summary: A 6th year AU where things aren’t quite what they seem. Draco has been acting strangely and Hermione is determined to discover the reason while Voldemort has found a terrifying new way to attack Hogwarts. Slash
1. Chapter 1

AN: I decided to start posting this hp fic. It is a 6th year AU. I have it partly written and it will end up being about 5 chapters. I will try to post fairly regularly - weekly at best. It will end up being Harry/Draco slash, cause I mean is there any other kind : ) Anyway on with the show. I'm having so much fun working on this. Enjoy.

__

Exile is a dream of glorious return.

Salman Rushdie

Chapter 1

Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry was abuzz with the activity that followed a new term. The Great Hall was a scene of merriment with students leaning close to one another, catching up after the long summer holidays.

Each house had their own way of greeting each other. The Gryffindors were the loudest, welcoming each student who came through the doors with cheers, choruses of "How are you mate?" and much guffawing. The Hufflepuffs would jump from their seats to hug new members and to pat them fondly while the Ravenclaws would be comparing their answers to the annual summer brain twisters that they had sent out by owl. The Slytherins were the quietest of all the houses. They would sit at their table in small groups catching up on the gossip and testing each other to see if their loyalties had changed during the long summer months.

The only common pastime between all of the houses was the general happiness at being reunited at Hogwarts. No one ever complained or was homesick on the first night back and even the first years (who had yet to arrive) were starry-eyed and excited at the prospect of living in a castle without the reservations of leaving home.

That is, it was a common pastime until Hermione Granger, a sixth year Gryffindor, glanced away from her table and noticed one lone figure at the end of the Slytherin table. The other students were strictly ignoring him but he sat stiffly with an air of aristocracy that defied the others who were shunning him. Hermione noted this to herself, and resolved to keep an eye out for developments throughout the rest of the evening.

Hermione's clever eye noticed the student - Draco Malfoy - slip quietly out of the Great Hall before the Welcome Feast during the disruption of the young students being ushered in for the sorting ceremony.

"_Hmm_," she murmured quietly to herself, puzzling after this new development.

****

-----

The first day of classes presented many more _hmm_ moments for Hermione. She _hmmed _at the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher's habit of chewing gum loudly between thoughts, she _hmmed _at Hagrid's promise of a Graphorn demonstration later in the year, and she _hmmed_ when she walked into potions and saw Draco Malfoy sitting up primly at the front of the Gryffindor side of the classroom.

This time she was not the only one who noticed Malfoy's curious behaviour. When she walked into the room she was elbowed sharply by Ron who followed up with a hushed "Blimey."

Harry came in shortly after and stopped abruptly when he too saw Malfoy sitting on the wrong side of the potions classroom.

"Who the bloody hell does he think he is?" Ron said. "Thinks he's too good for just half a classroom, has to go and move in on our side too!"

"Ron just leave it," Harry said with a glance at Snape but Ron wouldn't be dissuaded.

"Bloody mightier-then-thou attitude on him. That's right Malfoy!" Ron yelled. "Why don't you walk your poncy arse back over to your own side of the room? You're contaminating us with the stench of evil!"

"Ron," Hermione hissed under her breath, but it was too late. Snape stood, scowled, and took points.

The rest of potions class went even worse. Ron was upset and showed it by continually acting out, Harry solemnly backed up his friend, and Hermione tried to stay out of it, all the while making her clever observations. Snape took more points, the Slytherins caused trouble and Draco sat silently throughout; the only person who even paid him any mind was Ron with his hushed profanities.

All was not forgotten after potions and as soon as the class started to file out Ron was on his feet charging over to Draco who was leaving the room.

"What gives you the right?" he rushed out pushing Draco against the wall. Everybody stopped and stared. Draco looked startled for a moment but then seemed to pull himself together and stood up taller, exuding contempt.

"Why now would you ever believe that I would sit anywhere that you had?" He sneered. "I understand that the front of the class has been empty for some time now and seeing as your lot prefer the back, it was the furthest I could possibly get from your like."

Surprisingly he looked rather proud of this statement, Hermione thought. It was as if he pulled some sort of explanation out that he had not expected.

Ron, on the other hand, was even more red than usual. "How dare you?" he yelled. "Anywhere is too close to you. Why don't you just drop out and join the Death Eaters early so we don't have to see your ferrety face in class?"

Draco paused for a moment, then his lips curled up into a smirk. "You're quite right, I can see your mangy freckles from across the room, it turns me off my lunch." Ron flew at him raising his wand and casting three hexes in quick succession. The last bounced off the wall with a defining crash causing several bits of stone to come crumbling down.

Draco, relatively unscathed, lifted his wand to retaliate but seemed to think better of it and made to move away but his path was blocked by Crabbe and Goyle. They stood with their arms crossed, effectively blocking the way, but their stern faces betrayed little emotion.

Draco, if it was at all possible, paled even more at the lumbering Slytherins blocking his way.

"Aren't they supposed to be his mates?" Dean whispered to no one in particular.

Draco backed up slightly, looking tough, but he was obviously scared. On one side he had a furious Weasley and on the other there were his two 'mates' who were rather looking as if they would like to murder him.

Everyone was at a standstill, the entire potions class frozen in the hall waiting for somebody, anybody to do something to break the tension.

Harry was the first to shake himself out of the bizarre turn of events. "Ron, come off it," he said. "Lets just leave it be, I've got some sweets left from the train and I'm sick of being down here in these grimy dungeons."

Ron seemed to debate it for a second then turned to Harry, "Right then, got any of those new Jelly Slugs? The ones that squeal when you bite into them?"

"I reckon there might be a few," Harry answered. "Now why don't we go?" Ron walked towards Harry and the rest of the Gryffindors looked ready to follow. Only the Slytherins looked like they were still out for blood. Hermione went to say something but Harry spoke first. "Oh and Draco," he said. "Why don't you go ahead, wouldn't want you hexing us while our backs were turned."

Draco looked almost relieved but then realized this and hardened his face quickly. He silently stalked past Harry, who moved casually out once he had passed to prevent the Slytherins from following, and walked down the hall and out of sight.

"Right then," Dean spoke. "Shall we head off, I'm knackered." And the lot of them filed down the hall and out of the dungeons leaving the Slytherins behind.

-----

The Jelly Slugs proved only to be a passing distraction, and moments after their death cries faded Ron was off about Draco again.

"I just can't believe him!" Ron exclaimed. "Sitting right there, on our side as if he owned the whole room. That's the problem with those rich prats, they think they own everything."

"Ron, come off it." Harry said, but Ron was just getting into his rant about Draco.

"He thinks just because he can make Daddy buy him whatever he wants that he can do whatever he likes. Well I for one won't take it. I'll show him how things really work here. I'll…"

"Oh do be quiet Ron," Hermione interrupted. "Everything was fine until you decided to give him a pasting." The room went silent.

"What?" She said. "Everything was fine. He was content to leave us alone until Ron went barging in. I swear, I dislike him as much as the next person but sometimes you just have to leave well enough alone."

"But Hermione," Ron pleaded. "All of the things he says about us."

"She's right Ron," Harry added. "It isn't right what he says, no one's arguing there, but he didn't start anything today. He didn't even say anything until we spoke to him. Don't you think we have bigger things to worry about than picking fights with people who shouldn't even be worth our notice?"

Ron looked around searching for support amongst the Gryffindor faces but they either agreed, or didn't feel like getting into it with Harry and Hermione, and they wouldn't meet his eye.

"I see," Ron said. "That's how it is. Well I'll be upstairs whenever you decide to stop defending the prat who, since you all seem to forget, you hate!"

Ron stormed upstairs and, with a sigh, Harry moved to sit beside Hermione. The other Gryffindors busied themselves playing exploding snap and gossiping, but they stayed close enough to hear whatever Harry and Hermione said.

"That was quite weird you know, that scene in class," said Harry.

"I know," said Hermione. "It seems as if some things have changed since fifth year. I just wish Ron wasn't so hot headed all the time."

"Well he has a point," Harry said. "I just don't want to get all worked up about some spoiled, rich brat while there are much bigger things to worry about."

"I know you're worried about Voldemort," Hermione said. "But it is important to gather information rather than just focusing on the end result."

"You mean my battle to the death with Voldemort!" Several Gryffindors jumped back at Harry's yell. "Yes, I can see know how it's important not to focus on that," Harry said sarcastically.

"Oh Harry, you know that's not what I meant. Just we have to be ready. I'll be with you the whole time. You know that. And Ron will be too. He cares too much to let you face something like that yourself." She knew Harry didn't like to think about his friends in danger but she wanted him to know that people were going to be there for him.

"Harry, there is no reason you will ever have to go through something so huge alone. You will have us behind you no matter what. I was only saying that the more we know, the better _we_ will be prepared. If Draco is having problems with his junior Death Eater friends maybe he'll be desperate enough to give us something."

"Hermione be serious. No matter what is going on with his friends he would never help us. He hates us."

"Well yes, you're right. But we should watch him, he might give something away without realizing it. It never hurts to look for information everywhere. Lets just keep an eye on things over the next little while. Perhaps the scene today can tell us something."

"Like what?" Harry said disbelievingly.

"Well," Hermione continued. "His exclusion might show that his father has fallen from Voldemort's favour since his imprisonment. Maybe Voldemort is upset with the entire Malfoy family because of Lucius' failure."

"I suppose," Harry said. "And although I am happy at anything that causes Malfoy problems, I don't see what we can get from this."

"Well, if Voldemort is angry with Malfoy then Malfoy probably isn't happy with him either. So Malfoy could let important information slip because he is upset with his friend's actions." Hermione finished happily in one breath.

"Yes, I guess that could happen but Malfoy might just try to behave so he can get back into Voldemort's good graces."

"True," Hermione said. "I might have been looking for to much in it but I still think we can pay attention to how he acts. It can't hurt right?"

"Yeah," Harry agreed. "We can keep an eye on him. Then if he tries anything to impress Voldemort we can stop him!" Hermione smiled encouragingly. "I'm sure Ron would agree if we explained it like that."

Harry jumped up. "Night Hermione, I'm going to go try to talk to him."

Hermione just _hmmed_ to herself as Harry left the room. She wanted Ron to be okay as much as Harry but she also knew him very well. Ron would still be angry because they had argued with him and stopped him from pummelling Malfoy. He would go along with the plan since they were friends but he would still burn from the fight. He was predictably hot-headed but somehow it endeared him to her that she could read him so well. At that thought Hermione shook her head. I must be tired, she thought, and turned back to her book vowing to put the whole situation out of her mind for the moment. The Astronomy book was very involved.

****

-----

Things didn't change in the following weeks and it seemed for some time as if life at Hogwarts had settled into a routine. Draco Malfoy would sit as far away from the others in class and would participate silently while the rest of the world pretended that he didn't exist.

Ron still smarted from the scene in the common room, so at worst he would send a scowl towards Draco when he sat on the Gryffindor side of the class during potions.

Even Snape had taken to completely ignoring the Slytherin who had begun looking paler and even more withdrawn.

Harry had almost forgotten all about the whole incident by early October, until he stumbled across a most unusual scene.

He was just coming back from late quidditch practice, the team had done rather well but Harry had been dying to try a new feint and had stayed well past the others. The halls were deserted as he walked quickly back to the Gryffindor common room. His footsteps echoed on the hard stone and he cursed Merlin that he didn't have his invisibility cloak and yet was out after hours.

Harry had just rounded the corner by the picture of Sarah - the overly-enthusiastic goat herder - when he stumbled into the middle of a fight. There was a tiny curled figure on the ground covered in a cloak that Goyle was kicking gleefully while Crabbe looked on with his wand raised and a vicious grin on his face.

Harry quickly aimed his wand at Crabbe and shouted "_Expelliarmus_" then "_Ereptio,_" hurling the shaking hex. Crabbe staggered, shaking, and fell but by that time Goyle had gotten his wand to his hand and hurled a spell at Harry. Harry jumped to the side causing it to hit the hem of his robe and fizzle out.

"_Petrificus Totalus_" he shouted and Goyle fell to the ground.

Harry didn't spare the two another glance but ran up to the huddled figure. "Hey! You alright?" The person rolled to the side and coughed. Harry kneeled down and pulled the hood from the figure's head and was shocked by what he saw.

Draco Malfoy's pale face was smeared with blood and his usually perfect hair was mussed with blood matting the front. His right eye was swollen shut and he was coughing as if he was having a hard time breathing. Harry jumped back in shock.

"Eh…" He squeaked. "Malfoy, you look terrible! They really made a mess of you."

"Way to state the obvious" Draco stuttered out between bouts of coughing.

"Okay lets get you to Madam Pomfrey."

"I'm fine Potter," Malfoy said, spraying a smattering of blood with the word 'Potter'. "I don't need you perfecting your reputation by playing hero with me."

Harry wiped the spatter from his cheek and raised an eyebrow.

Draco groaned as he put a hand on the wall and slowly got to his feet only to lean against it as he erupted into another bout of coughing.

"Come on Malfoy, quit being a prat. You need to see a healer."

"Since when do you care? The way I figure it you should be kicking me while I'm down or laughing or something."

"Just because we've not gotten along doesn't mean I want to see you bleeding in the hall." Harry snapped back.

"Oh, that's right, The Boy Who Lived has to try and save everybody, even people he hates, just to show the world how perfect he is. Are you hoping for another glowing spread in the Daily Prophet?"

"Just shut it Malfoy" Harry said trying to get himself under control. "You need help and I don't think those two," he pointed at Crabbe and Goyle "are going to give it to you when they wake up."

"I am perfectly fine, thank you" Malfoy said tersely.

"Yes, of course, and you're hugging that wall because you're trying to act casual. Just let me take you to Madam Pomfrey. We can let Dumbledore deal with these two."

"No Potter! How can I get this to sink into your unkempt head? I. Don't. Want. Help. I don't want a healer. And I don't want anyone but me to deal with 'these two'"

"Alright. Alright!" Harry agreed grudgingly. "Just let me help you. I can't just leave you here like this." Draco looked as if he was going to say something but just then Crabbe let out a moan and he glanced back at Harry nervously.

"Fine, just, do you see my wand?" Harry glanced around and shook his head.

"Wait," Malfoy said, his shaky voice betraying the pain he was in, "I think Goyle put it in his robes." Harry went over to search him, then paused as he remembered that there were pleasanter ways to do things.

"_Accio_ Draco's wand" he murmured, and the want flew through Goyle's robes, ripping its way through the coarse fabric.

He glanced down at the pale wood lying in his hand. It was soft, springy and warm and not at all like he imagined Malfoy's wand would be. It felt comfortable but he was interrupted from his respite by Malfoy's persistent coughing. He blushed slightly and handed it over, grateful for the darkness. Malfoy looked at Harry as if he desperately wanted him to leave but thought better and tried to turn his free arm so that his wand was facing himself. Harry moved quickly grabbing his arm.

"What are you doing?" he yelled.

"Oh I can't take it anymore," Malfoy said sarcastically. "I'm putting an end to my horribly blessed life."

Harry stared.

"No you prat, I just want to do something about the blood so I don't end up walking around Hogwarts looking like a grisly mess."

"Oh," Harry said releasing his arm. "Okay then."

"_Scourgify_" he cast, and winced as the blood was magically vanished. More blood quickly began to leak from his nose. He looked thoughtful then pointed his wand and said, "_reparo_".

"What in Merlin's name are you doing," Harry yelled grabbing Draco's arm again.

"Fixing my nose," Draco said sullenly.

"Yeah, if your nose was a bloody inanimate object." Harry looked closer at Draco's slightly bent and bleeding nose. "Well no lasting harm, you're lucky."

Draco harrumphed.

"What did you think you were doing?"

"Well pardon me, I couldn't remember logistics as my nose bleeds all over my face."

Harry sighed, as if his nose would bleed anywhere else. "Well if you would let me take you to Madam Pomfrey." Draco looked angry.

"Fine," Harry sighed again. "Let me try." He pointed his wand at Malfoy's nose. "_Restituo_." The nose straightened marginally but kept bleeding. Draco stared accusingly.

"Well," Harry justified. "I'm not a medi-witch or anything. At least I didn't use _reparo_."

Draco didn't bother responding to Harry's last comment. "Right then, thanks for all the help then chap," he said glibly. "I'll just be on my way then."

Harry recognized the dismissal but Draco's slow, painful process down the hall cause him to do something he would not have expected from himself. He walked over, threw his arm around Draco's shoulders and said, "Right, lets get this done then so I can head off to bed. You might never make it alone, Crabbe and Goyle look like they might be waking up, and I really don't want another death on my conscious. Even if it is yours."

Malfoy glanced nervously at Crabbe and Goyle then said a terse. "Fine!"

They continued towards the dungeons in silence, pausing every few minutes so Draco could rest. Until Draco told Harry to head towards the left rather than right.

"No, it's this way," Harry said. "I already know where your common room is," he admitted. "You don't have to protect the secret or anything."

"I really would like to know how you do," Draco said. "Seeing as how the location is supposed to be a secret." But he didn't push. "For you information, that is not where we are going."

"Where are we going?" Harry asked.

"Where am I going you mean," Draco corrected. "Thanks for your rather unwanted help but I can take it for myself from now on," he sneered.

Harry started to argue but Malfoy's expression of determination quickly stopped him.

"I can't have the other Slytherins seeing us down here together" Draco said seriously. "I will see you tomorrow in class." With that Harry was dismissed and Draco continued down the hall slowly and unaided.

Harry watched for a moment to see that he wasn't going to collapse and then turned and hurried back to his dorm to find Hermione. This was definitely a development to the Malfoy situation that she would be interested in.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

By the time Harry got back to the dormitories they were deserted. He sighed unhappily. He could usually count on Lavender and Parvati being up, with a few lower year girls, gossiping. He often wondered if they slept at all, and besides, it wasn't even that late. He didn't dwell on it though. He put the unusual behaviour out of his mind and raced up to his room.

Harry pulled the Marauder's map out of his trunk, whispered the incantation, quickly scanning it for Draco. He was nowhere near the Slytherin common rooms. But there was something unusual about them. It wasn't more then half past twelve and yet everyone seemed to be asleep. Glancing around at the other houses he noticed that this was the case. Even the professors seemed to have turned in and Crabbe and Goyle seemed to have made their way back to their dorms. What was with the schools sudden, unanimous desire to get a full night's sleep? Harry wondered. He continued scanning the map until, with an unbidden smile, Harry saw Filch wandering the halls and realized that he was probably worrying over nothing. There wasn't anything that ominous about people sleeping soundly. He was just protecting his own insomnia onto them.

Harry once again began scanning the map until he found Draco. He was on the other side of the castle below the Ravenclaw dormitories. His name was unmoving in a small room that Harry had never seen before.

Harry watched Draco's name for a bit and decided that he wasn't going to do anything so with a yawn he decided to change and get some of his class reading done while the common room was deserted.

-----

By the next day Harry had a roughly devised plan to deal with what he had begun mentally referring to as The Draco Problem. He had capitalized the words to emphasize the bizarreness of having a problem involving Draco that wasn't just beating him in Quidditch (or a good fight). Harry went to breakfast in the Great Hall along with the rest of the school. Well the rest of the school sans Draco. Harry couldn't spot him at the Slytherin table. Not that it surprised him, Draco had been pretty banged up last night.

He managed to whisper to Hermione about the incident in the hall over breakfast. She listened intently as Harry related the scene and then _hmmed_ in that strange way of hers. She decided that it would be a good idea to keep an eye on things but was aghast at the idea of Crabbe and Goyle getting away with brutally attacking another student.

When Ron managed to drag himself out of bed and get to breakfast Harry told him the story too. Ron, unlike Hermione, smiled. "Serves that prat right for everything he's done."

"Ron," Harry said. "You had to see him. He was really roughed up."

"Why do you care?" Ron asked him. But Harry couldn't answer. He didn't know the answer. He had this unusual concern for the wellbeing of Malfoy of all people and had no logical explanation to explain why.

It was this unusual concern for him rival that spurred him to approach the headmaster seated at the head table.

"Sir," Harry said. "I was wondering if I could have a word."

"By all means my boy," Dumbledore said, cheerfully.

"It's sort of a private matter," Harry continued. "May I come by your office after first class today?"

"Of course Harry, password is Raspberry Dandy. I'll see you at half past the hour," Dumbledore said. "Now go back and finish your breakfast," he said, effectively dismissing Harry.

Harry waited through breakfast and an intolerable dull session with Professor Binns until he could hurry to the headmaster's office. But when Harry hurried up after class Dumbledore was nowhere to be found.

Harry waited and waited. He sat through lunch with no result and was just about to leave when Dumbledore came through the entrance. It took him a moment of squinting through his glasses to notice that Harry was even there.

"What are you doing here then?" Dumbledore asked.

"Our meeting?" Harry said. The one you just agreed to, he thought.

Dumbledore seemed confused for a moment and then answered. "Ahh yes, the meeting. How silly of me. Right then, lets get started."

Dumbledore sat down hardly in his chair. "Right, what is it we were talking about then?"

"We weren't." Harry said wishing for some of the familiar tea and sweets Dumbledore usually offered in these meetings. "I wanted to talk to you about Draco Malfoy, Sir."

"Ah, Lucius' son."

"Err, yeah. Anyway, I stumbled across him and Crabbe and Goyle last night, and they were attacking him."

"Attacking him! How unusual." Dumbledore said shuffling through some papers on his desk.

"Yes I know," Harry continued visibly upset. "And if that weren't strange enough, afterwards he refused to see Madam Pomfrey and wouldn't report it."

"You don't say," Dumbledore said scribbling a note on a letter he had just found.

"It is quite unusual behaviour for him." Harry continued despite Dumbledore's disinterest. "He seemed terrified of someone discovering he had been beaten. And it's not just that. He has been acting unusually all year."

"Thank you for bringing this to my attention," Dumbledore said, cutting Harry's story off. "I will deal with that boy soon enough. No need to worry. Now run along to your classes."

"But," Harry stuttered.

"Come off it now," Dumbledore said. "This is no longer any concern of yours. I have work that must be done now." He looked at Harry disinterested, then said, "Shoo" and flicked his hands hurrying him out of the room.

Harry walked out of the meeting off-balance and very confused. Dumbledore was behaving very strangely and he had the sneaking suspicion that he had just betrayed Malfoy. And what was worse, he felt kind of bad about it.

Harry wandered out of Dumbledore's office replaying the conversation in his head. That was not the sort of reaction he had expected. The headmaster seemed as if he couldn't care less about the attack on Draco. He had acted as if the whole issue was merely nuisance and that Harry's presence was a burden.

Harry was still puzzling about Dumbledore's reaction when he noticed that the halls were deserted. Oh no, he thought. Charms! Harry turned and hurried down the hall, he wasn't sure how late he was but the meeting had most certainly cut into the class. He started fumbling around for his charms text in his bag when he collided with another rushing student and was thrown backwards onto the ground.

"Blast," he cursed rubbing his head. "Sorry about that mate."

"No, no it's okay." A familiar female voice returned. "I really wasn't paying attention."

Harry looked up and saw Cho Chang gracefully sitting on the floor in front of him holding her own head.

"Cho," Harry said. "I hadn't realized it was you there."

"Obviously," she giggled and started gathering her books.

"How have you been Cho?" Harry asked honestly.

"Oh you know, getting on with my life and trying to put all the unpleasantness of the last few years behind me." She said standing.

"Uh, that's good." Harry mumbled, unsure of what to say.

"I'll see you around Harry," she said with a quick smile. Then she turned and hurried off down the hall.

Harry grabbed his books too and put the pretty Ravenclaw out of his mind. It was surprisingly easy he thought. He still remembered when a conversation from her would leave him a shaky and stuttering. He walked off towards class watching the hall more carefully until he reached Charms in time for the second half of the class.

-----

Classes wore on as usual throughout the day. Until it came time for potions and Harry was very surprised to see Draco Malfoy sitting primly at the front of the room as if nothing untoward had ever happened.

He was as unmarred as ever and he sat as he had all year. Crabbe and Goyle were there as well, glaring at Draco. Harry smiled to himself as he could see Crabbe's hand twitching slightly from where it lay on the desk.

Halfway through the class Harry was behind Draco in line for some pickled crow's feet when Goyle walked very close to them, stomping on Harry's foot and shoving Draco harshly from the side.

Harry was fine, a little angry, but fine. However Draco leaned against the wall, feigning nonchalance, with his breathing laboured for a moment.

Harry wondered at this. He leaned close to the boy in front of him. "You alright?" Harry whispered casually.

"Perfectly fine," he hissed back, then stepped abruptly forward to grab his crow's feet.

Harry couldn't get Malfoy alone for the rest of class. So as soon as the potions were tested he made an excuse to Ron and Hermione and rushed out after Draco.

Luckily for him, Draco was walking very slowly and deliberately and Harry caught up quickly.

"You," Draco said without stopping.

"Me," Harry replied smugly.

"Are we finished," Draco said. "Or are you still insisting on being my unwanted shadow."

"Sorry Malfoy but you've been puzzling me lately. And I'm a Gryffindor. You know how we like to get to the bottom of a good mystery."

"Well if you'd kindly go puzzle about me somewhere else."

Harry changed his tactics.

"You look well today."

"I'm thrilled you noticed," Draco replied sarcastically.

"Yes there's just one thing I was wondering about." Harry stepped in front of Draco, blocking his way. Draco tried to get around but Harry moved quicker forcing him back into the wall.

"Well seeing as you're leaving me no choice."

"Yes," Harry said leaning closer staring intently at Draco's face.

Draco stood still in shock.

"Hmm, it looks perfect." Harry said.

"Glad you think so," Draco said but his breathing was laboured again. Harry moved his fingers up and gently tapped Draco's nose .

Draco slammed his head back sharply against the wall with a resounding crack.

"Just as I though," Harry said. "Maybe you should take some time away from your classes until you're feeling better."

He withdrew his hand and walked away, leaving Draco smarting in the hall.

-----

Later that night Harry cornered Hermione in the common room. She was studying Arithmancy but pushed the scrolls away as soon as Harry sat down beside her.

"Can I ask you a question Hermione?" Harry said and continued with her nod. "If a person were hurt, are there ways to disguise the injuries without healing them?"

"Of course there are," Hermione answered, slipping into her lecture mode. "Injuries can be easily spelled so that people don't notice them or hidden with a glamour."

Harry nodded and she continued. "While it is very easy to hide them it is much harder to heal them which is why we have specially trained witches like Madam Pomfrey and even they have to use potions to cut back on the energy they expend. Healing spells can take up much of the castor's energy and if self cast they can make the healing process last much longer. In some cases aggravating the injury. Why do you ask?"

"Oh just curious I suppose."

"Curious about what mate?" Ron asked jumping up. His face was flushed like he had been chasing people around the common room again.

"Healing spells," Hermione answered, looking curiously at Harry.

"Bright idea," Ron said clapping Harry on the back. "With the amount of times you get yourself scraped up a few easy charms would go pretty far."

"As I was just saying" Hermione said. "There are no easy charms to fix injuries. The damaged tissues need to heal naturally, potions can act as catalysts but the process needs to occur. Simply spelling injuries away can have very negative consequences and only very powerful witches and wizards have any hope of succeeding."

"To bad," Ron said. "Well it was a good idea anyway Harry."

"Thanks Ron," Harry said.

"Harry, can I ask you something about You-Know-Who?" Ron whispered.

"Ron, not right now." Harry said, clamming up. "There are a few assignments I really need to finish here."

Ron and Hermione shared a look over Harry who had busied himself scribbling something down on a scroll.

-----

That evening the common room cleared out quickly with most of the yawning Gryffindors filing out before ten. Harry shook his head at his house's behaviour but decided he might as well get some use out of the unusually quiet common room.

"Hermione," he called across the room. "What it that scroll for Herbology on again?"

"Sorry Harry, what was that?" Hermione said yawning and rubbing at her eyes.

"Sprout's Herbology assignment. The one due next week, what is it on again?"

Hermione answered with a complicated explanation of the elements required in growing ordinary plants so that they would be suitable for potion use. Harry vaguely remembered a class where they had talked about that but, as with anything about potions, he had used that time to reflect on things and for a brief nap.

"Right, thanks Hermione," Harry said cutting her off in the middle of her lecture. "I'll just go upstairs and grab the text."

Harry darted up the stairs to the dorm leaving Hermione behind and was digging through his trunk uncaring as to whether he woke any of his snoring roommates when the sound of Ron clearing his throat startled him.

"Ron, thought you'd be asleep." Harry said, dropping his text.

"Well, I was. That is to say I was going to but," he stopped suddenly serious. "Harry can I please talk to you for a minute about You-Know-Who?"

Harry froze, his face clearing to show no emotion.

"Fine Ron, what would you like to talk about?" He said evenly.

"Well," Ron started nervously. "I know you haven't been talking about him very much since last year but everybody else has been. And well, I know your scar still hurts and you still have the dreams." He looked at Harry cautiously but Harry was carefully expressionless so Ron ploughed ahead. "Everyone has been talking all summer, Mum, Dad, Bill, Ginny, and even Fred and George in their own way, and well with that and the papers Harry I'm worried."

"We all are Ron," Harry said sternly. "And don't think for a second that just because I haven't been talking about this with you doesn't mean that I've forgotten." He said with a quiet fury. "More then anyone this effects me."

"I know Harry, it's just, I think we need to stay together. We need to talk to each other and practice together to fight him."

"Ron, I know you think that, but I don't want to put everyone in danger again. I don't want to run the DA again." Harry said defensively.

"That's fine Harry, with Umbridge gone I think the professors are thinking of opening it up themselves as an extracurricular activity. That's not what I'm talking about."

"Well then what Ron?"

"Well everyone has been talking about how Voldemort is one of the most powerful Legilimens alive." Ron said. "And so I started reading up on it a little." At Harry's look of incredulity he added, "I can read you know. Hermione doesn't have the patent."

Harry let out a short laugh.

"Well okay, she researched and then gave me this book to read." Ron admitted. "But it is scary. We can't just ignore the fact that You-Know-Who has this sort of power."

"I've never been able to Ron," Harry said seriously.

"Good," Ron said. "But seriously, you need to read this Harry."

Harry looked down at the tattered book open in Ron's hand, murmured a quick _Lumos_ and started reading.

__

Legilimency or the act of delving into a mind to see the subject's memories, thoughts, and emotions. The only know countermeasure is Occlumency.

Harry looked up from the book. "I know this Ron. For all the good it does."

"Keep reading," Ron said and Harry continued.

__

It has been found that I some rare cases that a powerful wizard has been able to master Legilimens and to use it congruently with other spells for a variety of effects. If the caster combines his skills with that of others the spell can span greater distances. This skill is extremely difficult and so has often been thought fictional.

The first documented case of a heightened Legilimens was in 912 AD where the famed wizard Wiltfizzle used the spell with a dancing jinx to make the victim believe that all he wanted to do was dance. He continued to dance until he died from exhaustion five days later.

Somewhat like Imperious, it causes the victim to do behave in a certain way, but it differs in that it allows them free thought. This causes spells imbedded with Legitimus to be impossible to detect. This form of casting a spell on top of another makes it very hard to track and an excellent form of mind control.

It has been speculated that the only time this sort of casting would be successful is during the victim's sleep when their mind would be blank and susceptible.

There are several cases throughout history of this type of spell casting occurring but sceptics have, and continue to debate their accuracy. It is very difficult to ascertain the validity of this form of mind control as there are very few wizards who could even attempt to do such a spell. Also once cast the spell is untraceable.

It will remain a mystery if heightened Legilimens is possible but, if it is, the wizard casting would have a very potent power.

The only known way to block a Legilimens and this sort of control is Occlumency. Instructions on how to perform the spells follow.

Harry stopped reading and looked up at Ron in shock. "This could be very, very bad." He said.

"I take it Snape and Dumbledore didn't fill you in about this part." Ron said.

"Definitely not"

"Well you can see why we have to do something," Ron said. "If You-Know-Who has this sort of power, and others to support him, he could be influencing us without our knowing."

"Ron, how can we even fight against something like this?" Harry asked.

"Well," Ron said. "Hermione and I have talked about it and the only option would be to learn Occlumency."

"But how Ron? I studied with Snape almost all last year and it did nothing, Voldemort was still able to trick me."

"But that was Snape," Ron said. "It would be different with us, and it tells you how to in the book." He slapped his hand emphatically on said book.

"Well," Harry said slowly giving a bit. "I suppose we could try but we won't be able to test it without a Legilimens to see if we can resist."

"I reckon you could do that Harry," Ron said.

"Ron!" Harry snapped. "I would never do that to you. Do you have any idea how horrible it is to have someone rummaging around through your deepest most private memories?"

"But Harry it's the only way we could."

"Ron it's one of the worst things someone could do to a person."

"Harry, we're all friends. We would only do it to test our ability to resist. And anything we see we can promise to forget immediately. It's the only way."

"Can I at least think about it for a bit," Harry asked sighing and feeling suddenly tired.

"Of course mate." Ron said. "Take all the time you need."

"Thanks Ron," Harry said gratefully. He climbed up on his bed - Charms essay forgotten - and tried to sleep. "Night Ron" Harry called but Ron was already asleep.


End file.
